It’s not uncommon for the skin on your face to experience changes during your lifetime. Breakouts are common as a teenager. Dry skin can appear in middle age. Fine lines and wrinkles show up with every passing year. Another change that can develop on your face is small, white bumps. Some people describe it as “chicken skin”. Nevertheless, bumpy skin under your eyes is not typically a cause for concern. It is called Keratosis Pilaris. But how can we manage it safely?

What is Keratosis Pilaris?

Keratosis Pilaris, or KP, is an incredibly common skin condition that affects 40% of adults. It typically manifests as small, hard bumps, usually surrounded by red areas of skin, on the upper arms, legs, or buttocks. In simplest terms, KP is a blockage of the hair follicles.  The skin just creates a buildup of a protein called keratin—the same building block for hair, skin, and nails—and the keratin creates a plug that blocks the hair follicle, which leads to the little bumps. The plug can also trigger inflammation in the skin, which is what causes the redness around each hair follicle. Despite how prevalent Keratosis Pilaris is, and that it tends to run in families, it’s unknown why some people experience it, and others don’t, but it is said that it’s often found with people who have very sensitive skin, or alongside conditions such as eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Currently, it is estimated that approximately, fifty to eighty percent of adolescents and about forty percent of adults suffer from Keratosis Pilaris worldwide. Many people have Keratosis Pilaris, also called “chicken skin”, under eyes, which can be especially bothersome due to its prominence on the face. Normally, these bumps are light-colored and may show up not only around the eyes but also in many other parts of the body like the upper arms, thighs, and back.

People who have dry skin are typically at a higher risk of developing Keratosis Pilaris than others. While it might show up at any time of the year, it can be worse during the cold months, when the air is dry and is less humid.

How do we Manage Keratosis Pilaris Under Eyes?

There are quite different approaches to clearing that under-eye Keratosis Pilaris, so be sure to try each one out and see what works best for you. It’s also a good idea to keep a Keratosis Pilaris journal: a little notebook where you can easily keep track of the dates you’ve started and stopped each different method. This can help give you a better idea of which ones are working well, and which ones you can drop.

Getting rid of Keratosis Pilaris may not require you to go any farther than your kitchen. Regular salt and water can be combined to make a skin scrub that could help clear up under-eye bumps. This scrub can help to break up the keratin plugs that are clogging the pores of your hair follicle. With regular use, this scrub could help to exfoliate and even out the dry, bumpy skin around your eyes. You can follow up by using gentle scrub to clear off any dead skin cells.

Hot water may feel good when you step in the shower, but it really doesn’t help your skin. Avoiding hot showers and bath is another key step in clearing up Keratosis Pilaris and helping to get it under control. Hot water dries out your skin and can wash away much of the natural, protective oils on your body, which can leave your skin tight and itchy. Try using water that’s no hotter than lukewarm to help prevent your skin from drying out and stop washing away those precious oils.

One simple obvious method that many people overlook is to always moisturize. Because Keratosis Pilaris is mostly found on dry skin, it goes to reason that you should be moisturizing those areas on your body that are prone to Keratosis Pilaris. You could even use a moisturizer that’s specifically made for people with Keratosis Pilaris.

Do you eat gluten? There are many people who have found that gluten sensitivities caused many of their Keratosis Pilaris symptoms. By eliminating gluten from your diet, even for a short while, you may find that your Keratosis Pilaris symptoms improve.

Coconut oil is one of the best all-natural treatment options for Keratosis Pilaris there is. You develop Keratosis Pilaris when keratin clogs your hair follicles. Coconut oil is a great choice to treat Keratosis Pilaris because of its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are ideal for both treating and preventing Keratosis Pilaris.

Another mistake many people with Keratosis Pilaris make is over-exfoliation. While exfoliation is important, you also need to know your skin’s limits. Too much exfoliation can not only damage the skin and cause painful sore areas on the skin, but it can even make your Keratosis Pilaris get worse. Exfoliate, but do it in moderation. Apple cider is yet another great product in treating your Keratosis Pilaris. And there are lots of people who swear by using apple cider vinegar to help clear up their bumpy skin. You can use apple cider vinegar in the shower to wash your skin and then apply coconut oil after you rinse it off. Some people like to put together a mixture of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. You need to wait about 2 to 3 minutes and then dilute it with water or juice and drink it daily. If you have either sensitive skin or stomach, you might want to skip this step in treating your Keratosis Pilaris, as the mixture may be a bit too strong for you.

Keratosis Pilaris is a skin condition that results from the inside out. Although, it may seem like your skin is the problem, oftentimes the real problem is an improper diet and or environment that leads to Keratosis Pilaris on your skin. Changing up your diet and taking a closer look at your daily skincare routine could just be the key to getting rid of your Keratosis Pilaris.